Heart Ache
by Kristen3
Summary: The day after Daphne and Donny's engagement, Niles awakes with chest pain which clearly has more to do with a broken heart than anything else. Niles knows what he has to do in order to find relief, but can he actually bring himself to do it?
1. Chapter 1

The first thing Niles was aware of when he awoke was a sharp pain in his chest. At first he thought it was a symptom of the heart problems he'd had as a child. But the memories of last night came flashing back, and he knew immediately that the cause wasn't physical. No, this was the pain of his heart actually breaking. He found it difficult to breathe. No wonder, when the woman he'd been in love with for six years had just accepted someone else's proposal. He laid there for a moment, wondering what to do. But it seemed there was only one way to end his suffering. He managed to reach for the phone, and he quickly dialed his brother's number.

"Niles?" Frasier said when he answered the phone. "Are you all right?"

"Of course I'm not all right," Niles managed to reply. "After what happened last night, how can you expect me to be all right? I'm in pain."

Frasier rolled his eyes. "Yes, well, the sooner you get on with your life, the sooner the pain will go away."

"No," Niles said emphatically. "I'm in _physical _pain, Frasier!" He groaned as he felt a wave of discomfort. "Please, I need Daphne."

Frasier sighed in frustration. "Niles, you can not interfere in her relationship! You need to get over her!"

Niles knew he could never get over Daphne. He'd barely gotten over Maris. "I'm sick. Daphne is a healthcare worker. Why must you assume that I have an ulterior motive in wanting her here?"

_Because I know you_, Frasier thought to himself. Where Daphne was concerned, there was no talking to Niles. He didn't have the energy to argue with his younger brother. "All right, I'll ask her to check on you. But remember, you can _not_ say anything to her about her relationship with Donny."

"Thank you," was all Niles could say. He hung up before he could make any promises that he knew he would never be able to keep. He rested his head on the pillow, hoping to lessen his heartache by sleeping.


	2. Chapter 2

Daphne made her way over to the Montana. The thought that poor Dr. Crane was ill made her want to get there as fast as possible. After all, she was a healthcare worker hired to look after the Cranes. Her primary patient might be Mr. Crane, but she spent plenty of time taking care of his eldest son. So it seemed only natural that she go and pay the younger Dr. Crane a visit under these circumastances. From all her experience in the healthcare field, she knew that chest pains were never something to be taken lightly.

She parked in the Montana's parking lot. As she did, she remembered once again how Donny had been responsible for getting Dr. Crane's apartment back. It was just one more reason she loved her fiance. Most people thought divorce lawyers were just out to make a buck at the expense of someone else. But not Donny. Clearly, his work helped people.

But as Daphne stepped off the elevator, she remembered why she was here. Poor Dr. Crane was suffering. No doubt he was feeling alone and wanted company. Though he was past the worst of his divorce, financially speaking, he was still obviously emotionally wounded. Who wouldn't be, with the way Mrs. Crane had treated him?

She took out the key Dr. Crane's brother had given her. She knew he probably wouldn't be able to come to the door. She slipped into the apartment, doing her best not to make too much noise or disturb the calm order of this place. By now she was well aware of the Crane boys' need for organization and neatness.

After a quick glance around the living room, she made her way up the stairs. She easily found the master bedroom and gently opened the door. Sticking her head in the doorway, she looked inside. What she saw immediately broke her heart. There he lay in bed, looking as fragile as she'd ever seen him. She moved closer and saw that he was apparently asleep. Uncertain of what to do, she merely sat down next to him, watching him closely.

"Daphne's gone." Daphne barely heard the words he whispered in his sleep. It broke her heart even further.

"No I'm not," Daphne said. "I'm right here, Dr. Crane."

Niles' eyes fluttered open. "Daphne," he said, smiling at the sight of her. Almost instantly, the pain in his chest subsided considerably.

"How are you feeling?" She reached out and took hold of his hand.

"A little better," Niles replied. He wanted so badly to tell her the cause of his pain. But as he looked up at her, he realized this wasn't the time. Not while he was lying here, barely able to draw a breath. Besides, she was engaged. It wouldn't be right.

"I hate seeing you like this," Daphne said as Dr. Crane continued to stare up at her.

Niles could hardly believe that Daphne would feel compassion towards him. After all, he was a coward who'd been unable to give her even a hint of how he really felt. And now, here he was, wanting desperately to take away another man's fiancee. A man who'd given him his life back. As Niles considered this, he found that he couldn't look Daphne in the eye. Not only that, but he felt a sharp pain in his chest.

"What's wrong?" Daphne asked, noticing his pained expression.

Niles forced himself to look at her again. He wanted nothing more than to sit up and kiss her. It would be a dream come true, something he'd thought about almost non-stop since that night at the Snow Ball. But still, the fact remained that she belonged to someone else now. It was as if Niles were at war with himself. He knew the cause of this terrible pain in his chest, and he knew what would most likely bring relief. But could he really say the words out loud? He wasn't sure, but it seemed he had no other choice. "Daphne...can I tell you something?"

"Of course," Daphne replied. Looking at him now, it was hard to believe he was a grown man. At the moment, he seemed more like a sick, scared child. Suddenly, she wanted to hold him and comfort him as best she could. But he was always so concerned with his appearance, and she doubted he would ever allow her to do such a thing. Instead, she took hold of his hand, hoping the small gesture would bring him at least a bit of comfort.

"I think I know why my chest is hurting," Niles replied. Saying the words made him remember once more the cause of it. Donny's proposal. He relived the moment in his mind, as he had so many times since it had happened less than 24 hours ago.

"Why?" Daphne asked. She expected the answer to have something to do with the wine he'd had at his brother's last night, or the latest of his wife's attempts to humiliate him through their divorce.

But the answer Niles gave was none of those things. "It's because you're engaged." As he spoke the words, he felt something inside him relax. It was easier to breathe now.

Daphne gasped when she heard his response. "Don't tell me you're upset because you'll miss me!" she said with a laugh. "I'll still be around to look after your father and your brother. You'll see me just as much as you do now. The only difference will be that I'll be sleeping with Donny!"

With all his heart, Niles wished she'd said that differently. The tightness in his chest returned in full force. But he knew he had to tell her the truth. The _whole_ truth. It seemed to be the only way he would ever feel better. "That isn't why I'm feeling this way. Or at least that's only part of it." He paused, trying to choose his words carefully. It seemed as if his life hung in the balance. "The real reason is that...I don't want you to marry Donny." He looked down at her hand in his. He couldn't resist caressing it with his thumb. "Daphne, I love you."


	3. Chapter 3

She looked at him for a long moment, in complete disbelief. But as his words began to sink in, Daphne began to remember things. Like how nervous he'd been when she showed up at his office the other day. And the way he looked at her whenever she spoke, as if he wanted to absorb each and every word. Even Donny never paid her _that_ much attention. That realization was another shock to Daphne. Less than twenty-four hours ago, she'd been deliriously happy with him. She'd been looking forward to a wonderful future with him. And yet, suddenly, Daphne began to see someone else in her future. A man who'd already given her his heart, long before she'd ever met Donny.

Niles once again felt short of breath. But it wasn't like before. He just couldn't seem to make himself breathe as he waited for Daphne's response. He wished he could've told her some other way, like over a candle-lit dinner. That's what she deserved. Not some strange deathbed confession, or whatever this was. But he couldn't do anything about it now. The cat was out of the bag, and there was no getting it back in. So he waited, watching her face for any sign of a reaction. But there was none. The only thing that gave him any hope at all was the fact that her hand had stayed right where it was, in his hand.

As Daphne sat there on the bed, she remembered when she was little, back in Manchester. She'd wanted nothing more than to grow up and fall in love. But she didn't want to settle down with just any man who happened to be available. No, she wanted the whole package, the "happily ever after." She had thought she'd found that in Donny. She was still certain that life with him would be comfortable. She knew she would be well taken care of. But there had to be something more to a relationship than that. Donny loved her, but she saw now that he loved his work more. The security she would have with him would come with a price. And she wasn't sure she wanted to pay that price. With Niles, she knew things would be different. He would do his best to provide for her and make a life with her. But he would love _her_. She thought all of this over, desperately trying to come to some sort of a decision. She knew she couldn't leave Niles waiting forever. There had to be a way to know for sure that this was the right thing. Suddenly, Daphne had an idea. She slowly leaned forward.

Niles could hardly believe his eyes when he saw Daphne leaning toward him. His once-broken heart now began to race uncontrollably. A split second later, their lips met. It was something he hadn't experienced since the Snow Ball. And yet, this kiss was so much better than he'd remembered. Maybe it was because they both knew it was for real.

In an instant, the kiss told Daphne everything she needed to know. Donny was a good man, but he wasn't her true love. If he were, this kiss would not have been so unforgettable. All her life, she'd heard people talk about when they knew they'd found the person they loved. Daphne had never really understood how a person could fall in love so fast. But now, with Niles, she knew. She drew back from the kiss and looked into his eyes. The love she saw there nearly made her cry. When a tear did make its way down her cheek, Niles was quick to reach over to brush it away. The gesture made her smile. "Can I tell you something, Niles Crane?"

Niles' heart felt lighter than air as he heard his name on her lips. "Of course you can, Daphne."

She smiled. "I love you, too."

The kisses resumed, and Niles was thrilled, but unsurprised, when his chest pains disappeared entirely.

The End


End file.
